PDRC Chairman: Strategic approach needed to tackle T&T's flood woes

A return to the 1987 strategy to flood alleviation will properly manage the perennial deluging that plagues Trinidad and Tobago, particularly during the onslaught of the rainy season.

This, from Dr Allen Sammy, Chairman of Penal/Debe Regional Corporation, who called for the establishment of a comprehensive national flood plan to treat with the widespread issue.

The low-lying largely agricultural region of Penal/Debe is often affected by street flooding after periods of heavy rainfall.

But, over the years, the Corporation has put several measures in place to ensure its burgesses aren’t severely impacted.

Following the passage of Tropical Storm Bret in 2017 that saw some of the worst flooding the country had ever experienced, the PDRC proposed a six-point plan to be implemented during the dry season to prevent disastrous flood events.

Dr Sammy said this plan has been presented to Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan, but there’s been no response to date.  

He recalled that T&T’s flooding woes were largely solved during the period 1987-1989 through a collective, collaborative effort of a national watercourse desilting campaign.

He said: “When John Humphrey did this, there was a resounding success. Humphrey called all contractors and they agreed on deferred payment plan over a reasonable period of time. There was no major flooding for two years.”

“Our current predicament is similar to 1987, because the country has no money. So, we have to make do with what we have. What we need to do is use the idle equipment with per unit cost agreements with all the participating contractors. With that level of collaboration all the watercourses will be cleaned,” he added.

The PDRC Chairman said the current desilting programme entails selective clearing of the watercourses and causes problems further downstream.

He likened the approach to the situation to one of a drain that is only partially cleared and causes chokes elsewhere along the course.  

Dr Sammy said while the PDRC’s proposal has been largely ignored by the current Minister, in Penal/Debe, the Corporation puts its mini excavator to use to keep its 99 vested watercourses clear.

The PDRC's proposed plan includes an environmental audit; collaboration among State agencies, non-governmental organisations and field experts; a state revegetation programme to prevent landslides from bare hillsides; the construction of water detention catchments; tougher laws to treat with environmental lawbreakers and a reintroduction of environmental education.

Dr Sammy renewed his call for Government to consider adopting the Corporation's proposed flood plan on a national level.